Pttrnace retort and discharge mechanism therefor



C. H. SMITH. FURNACE RETORT AND DISCHARGE mzcmmsm THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPLZO. I920.

1,409,599. at nwdMar- 14,1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

, INVEIITOR A TTORNEYS H. SMITH.

D DISCHARGE- ATION FILED 5 FURNACE R'E MECHANISM THEREFOR.

A TTORNEYS C. H. SMITH.

FURNACE RETORT AND DISCHARGE MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20, 1920- Patented Mar; 14, 1922.

a SHEETSSHEET 3.

m M 0 U A C. H. SMITH.

FURNACE RETORT AND DISCHARGE MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPLZO. 1920.

III!!! A TTORNEYS 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

APPLICATION FILED SEPLZO. I920.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5- [WEE/TOR A TTORNEYS C. H. SMITH.

FURNACE RETORT AND DISCHARGE MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1920.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6- INVENTOR 7 A TTORNEVS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HOWARD SMITH, 015 SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INTER- NATIONAL COAL PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OF RIGHIVIOND, VIRGINIA, A COR- PORATION 0F VIRGINIA.

FURNACE RETORT AND DISCHARGE MECHANISM THEREFOR.

1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that .l, (hmmais Howixnn tiiurrn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Short Hills, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnace Hetorts and Discharge Mechanism Therefor, of which the following is a specification,

The invention relates to discharge mechanism tor a furnace-retort wherein coal or similar carbonaceous material is distilled or carbonized. The, discharge mechanism which is the basis of the present invention has been particularly designed for use in connection with a retort into which coal is fed continuously or at relatively short intervals at one end, wherein the coal is mixed or agitated and progressively conveyed through the retort, and from which the residue that may be partially carbonized is discharged at the other end by means of the discharge mechanism.

A retort construction of the type above referred to is made so as to he gas tight at all times and in all places, except there is provided an otl'tal e to permit of the escape or withdrawal "from the interior of the retort of the vapors and gases driven off during the carbonizing operation. In other words, in a retort of the type mentioned the feed of coal to and the discharge of the residue from the interior of the retort is in each instance accomplished without permitting the escape of gas from or the entrance of air into the interior of the retort in any substantial quantities through the charging and discharging devices.

The discharge mechanism for accomplishing the desired end has been constructed so that it comprises a pair of worms or screws located in a covered conduit or tube, open at each end. The screws are arranged so that their axes extend horizontally and so that the flights or spirals thereof overlap. Rotary members with overlapping arms are preferably provided ahead of the entrance end of the conduit. as in a downtake. for breaking up any large lumps of material passing downwardly from the retort to the conduit preparatory to the material entering the conduit and being conveyed theret-hrough the screws. The discharge end of the conduit or tube terminates in or is Specification of Letters Patent.

la't-ented Mar. 14, 1922.

Application filed September 20, .1920. Serial No. 411,498.

connected to a discharge box having a member with a surface portion on the interior of the box upwardly inclined in a manner to cause a lifting of the residue forced against said surface by the screws. The box is also provided with sides or dam members that extend upwardly above the tops of the screws. 'ihcse sides or dam members are relied upon to maintain a certain head oi residue or partially carbonized coal at the discharge end of the screws, thereby providing a seal. As the screws rotate the material conveyed and forced outwardly by them is, as previously indicated, ultimately :lorccd upwardly whereby it flows or rolls over the dam members, or dam as they may be collectively called. In other words, in the operation of the apparatus the material delivered by the screws wells up, so to speak, the dam holds back suilicient material to maintain at all times the. sea] at the discharge end ot the screws, and the material in excess of that necessary to maintain the desired seal flows over the dam.

In the preferred construction of the discharge mechanism, means-such aswatercooling means-is provided for cooling the material passing through it.

An object of the invention is to provide a cUllSt-l'llUtlOll wherein the desired air-tightness oi? the retort can be maintained and whereby the discharge of the residue is accomplished in an ellicient manner and with a minimum requirement of attendant labor.

The discharge mechanism which is the basis of the present invention satisfies these requirements.

The invention involves the features above described and also others, all of which are herein clearly described and set forth inthe accompanying claims.

its setting forth a specific manner in which the invention may be realized reference is made to the accompanying drawings :iorming a part of this specification, in which drawings,

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal view -nu stly in section oi a turmice-retort with the improved discharge mechanism applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the furnace and through the discharge mechanism and the sections of this figure are such as are taken on the the furnace structure 2.

broken line 2a-a2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figures 3 and 4t are'respectively side and plan views of the discharge mechanism. In Figure 3 a certain-driving sprocket has been eliminated, a door has been omitted at the feeding-in end thereof, and some of the easing members at the discharge end have also been omitted so as to more clearly show certain features of the interior structure,

Figure 5 'is a vertical end view of the discharge mechanism-this is a view looking at the discharge end of the mechanism but toward the iii-take or feeding-in end thereof.

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional =view takeu as on the plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Figures 3 and t looking in the tl irec'ti'on of the arrows.

FigureTis a plan view of a member providing a curved surface upwardly inclined and which is relied upon to effect a lifting of the material as the same is forced outwardly by the cooperating conveying worms "or screws with which the mechanism 18 pro- "vided.

Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken as on the plane indicated by the line 88 of Figure '7 lookingin the direction of the arrows. I

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the furnace retort comprises the retort l and The material to be carbonized, to wit the coal, is fed to the in terior of the retort by any suitable feeding means, as 3, and the material thus conveyed or charged to the interior of the retort is mixed or agitated with-in the retort and conveyed therethrough by any suitable means, as 4; the residue which may be carbonized coalis ultimately discharged from the retort by means of the discharge mechanism 5. An off-take, indicated as at 6, is provided whereby the gases and vapors driven off during the carbonizing operation may escape or be Withdrawn from the interior of the retort. The retort is constructed so as to be substantially air and gas tight; that is,

the feeding and the discharge mechanism 3 and 5 are constructed so that they can re spective'ly function to effect a feeding of coal to the interior retort and effect the dis charge of partially carbonized residue from the'retor-t, without permitting the en rance .Of air to the interior of the retortand withtravels through the retort in the direction indicated by the arrow A and when the material reaches the discharge end of the retort it drops through a down-take 7 Part of this down-take is provided by the masonry construction of the furnace-retort and part "by the metal construction of'thedischarge mechanism, as is manifest from an inspection of Figure 1. This down-take may be considered as providing the intake or feeding-in end of the discharge mechanism. The furna'ce is, of course, provided with any suitable means, as 8, for supplying fuel and as 9 for supplying air that supports combustion which takes place in the combustion chamber 10 that is on the exterior of shell 11 of the'retort. The discharge mechanism has a main frame 12 which comprises or is built up of three parts. One of these partsor portions as they might be called particularly if the main frame is made of a single casting that includesall of the parts-4s referred to as a horizontally and longitudinally extending tubular member. This member 13 is in cross-section bicylindrical, as is apparent from an inspection of Figure 2, and from some points of View it may be referred .to as a conduit which in the specific construct-ion -it is engaged by the pair of screws. These screws 14 extend from the feeding-in portion through the horizontally and longitudinally extending tubular member 13 and serve to convey material from the entrance end'of the main frame 12 through said tubular member 13 to a discharge box 16, the latter of which constitutes the third important part or portion of the main frame 12. It will, therefore, be seen that the screws let are arranged so that their axes extend horizontally and longitudinally and they are also arranged so :that the flights or spirals of one screw overlap the flights or spirals of the companion screw. They are mounted in suitable bearings, as 17 and 18, and are geared so as to 7 simultaneously rotate by means-of spur gears 19 and 20 which maybe consideredas located :at the exterior or discharge end of the main frame 12. There are located in the downtake or feeding-in member 15 two sets of rotary members 21 and 22 provi 1led with arms 23 and Qiarranged so that the arms of one set cooperate with and overlap the arms of the companion set. These rotary members. may be referred to as rotary breakers, because their function is to breakup in large chunks the masses of coal passing through the downtake prior to the material being engaged by the screws or conveying members 14. The members2l, 22 having arms 23, 24 thereupon are carried by shafts 25 and 26 which in turn are mounted in suitable supporting bearings, as Q'Tand 28. I The portions of the shafts carrying the breakers or rotary members are preferably non-cylindrical in crosssection for example, a square, and upon these portions the rotary breaker members fit whereby when the shafts rotate the breaker members will necessarily rotate. The shafts are caused to rotate in unison being geared together, as by means of pinions 29 and 30. The driving of the breakers or rotary members 21 and 22 and of the cooperating conveying screws 14 is effected by power imparted thereto by suitable trains of gearing, as by sprocket wheel 31, shaft 32, small bevel gear 33, large bevel gear and pinions 29 and 30. This provides the train of gearing for driving'the rotary members or breakers 21 and 22 and which also constitute a part of the gear train for driving the cooperating worms or screws 14; the rest of the gearing for effecting a driving of the latter includes in addition to the train just described the following; shaft 35, coupling 36 that connects shaft 35 to the shaft to which gear 30 is connected, a relatively small gear 37 on shaft 35, a large gear 38, the latter of which is on the same shaft as spur gears 19 previously referred toand which intermesh and serve to drive the worms or screws 14 in unison. By this train of mechanism it will be manifest that power is derived from the sprocket wheel 31 for driving the screws or conveying members 14. The coupling 36 can be readily disconnected and the same is true of a bracket member 39 which provides a bearing for the shaft 32, thus permitting an easy assemblage and disassemblage of the parts.

The screws 14 are preferably of a builtup construction, that is to say formed of a series of flight sections, as 40, assembled upon and secured in any suitable manner to the shaft of the worm or screw of which it constitutes a part. The reaction thrust of each worm screw shaft, as the screw functions, is in the direction of the arrow B and to take care of this thrust any suitable thrust shaft may be provided, as at 41. The material being conveyed by the screws 14 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow C and is forced in an upward direction as it is pressed against the upwardly inclined surface, as 42, of the deflecting member 43. This deflecting member 43 is shown in plan and sectional views in Figures 7 and 8 and an inneraend view of the curved surface portion is shown in Figure 6. Reference is also made to Figure 6, since it shows in cross-section the discharge box 16 into which the material is forced by the screws 14 from the bicylindrical conduit or tube 13. The lower portion of the discharge box 16 where the material first enters has a configuration which corresponds to the lower portion of the bicylindrical conduit or tube 13 from which the material is delivered to the discharge box. The bottom interior surface of the discharge box commences to change near the entrance end thereof so as to provide a curved upwardly inclined sloping surfacethis surface is the one which is provided by the curved surface 42 of the defleeting member 43 and functionsin the manner previously described. The sides ofthis portion of the discharge box 16 are desig nated 44, 44 and these sides extend upwardly a substantial distance above the top of the worms or screws 14. There is a large transversely and vertically extending platevor member at each end of the box; one of these end plates may be designated as 45 and the other as 46, and it will here be remarked that the end plate 46 carries a bearing 47 for supporting the shaft 35 heretofore ineir tioned. As the screws 14 are operated the material deflected upwardly by the curved surface 42 of the deflecting member 43 fills the space between the uppermost portion of the sides 44 and ultimately the excess material drops over the sides 44. Said sides may, therefore, be properly referred to as dam members and they collectively constitute a dam for maintaining a seal by the holding back of the material in the manner described.

When the screws are functioning the screws may be said to well up? and fill the space between the screws and the dam. The excess material may be described as flowing over the dam. The dam members or dam maintain the seal as the discharging device functions, and regardless of whether or not material is continuously conveyed to the discharge mechanism a seal will always be maintained even though the conveying screws are continuously turning.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8 and considering the same in connection with Figures 2 and 6, it will be seen that the bearings 18 for the shaft of the screws 14 are carried in the deflecting member 48. This deflecting member 43 is necessarily subjected to a considerable wear by the more or less abrasive material passing therethrough and it has therefore been constructed so' that it is readily removable and replaceable by moving only a relatively small portion of the associated mechanism. It is also constructed so that when removed the conveying screws can each be taken out, merely by longitudinal movement. 9 The material is fairly hot when leaving the retort-it having been subjected, for example, to a temperature of 850 F. or even more, and in order that an indirect cooling of the material may be had there is provided a water-jacketing means constructed as follows:

A casing member 48 U-shapedin cross-- a manner whereby there is a tight joint between the U-shaped member 48 and each of the flange members to which it is secured. The flange portion 49 is located at or near the extreme feeding-in end of the discharge mechanism and as said plate is located in effect between the end of the conduit or tube 13 and the discharge box 16, it will be manifest that the water-jacketing means extends thefull length of the operating portion of the cooperating worms or screws 14 plate-members 53, 54,, 55, 56 that provide a hopper with a discharge passageway, as 57,

at the lowermost portion of the casing wherebythe conveyed material can leave the discharge mechanism on its way to any suitable conveying 'or receiving means provided for this purpose.

' From an inspection of Figure (3, it will be noted that a passageway is left between each side or dam member 4A on the one hand and the corresponding side plate 52 whereby the material flowing over the side or dam member can pass from the apparatus,

charge 'box may be referred to as an enclosed box since it is in effect enclosed by the end plates 45 and 4-6 and the casing secured thereto. To permit of inspection or access to the interior in-take end of the discharge-mechanism doors 58 are provided at each side of the down-take or in-take member 15. These doors are normally clamped in place by lever 59 the free end of which is secured by bolt 60. These doors are shown in place in Figure 5, but they have been removed and are notshown in Figure 3.

The furnace-retort construction to which the invention is particularly applicable constitutes the basis *of certain vapplications already on file and reference may be made in this connection to co-pending application Serial No. 217,764 filed February 18, 1918 and to co-pending application Serial No.

233,422 filed May'9, 1918, and it will be readily understood that the. features relating to the furnace-retort construction per se do 7 not constitute thebasis of the present application, as such are being protected in companion applications already on file, it being understood, however, that the invention inthis case relates to a discharge mechanism liav'ing the features of'construction herein described andclaimed, and the broad application to the discharge mechanism to a furnace retort, particularlya furnaceretort of the type where there is a more or less coli- The disried by the tubular member or conduit and a discharge box having therein a member providing an upwardly inclined surface whereby material, forced against it by the screws will be caused to move upwardly, said discharge box also having side members extending" upwardly above the top of the screws for providing a dam whereby a head of material may be obtained at the discharge end of the screws.

2. A furnace-retort having a discharge mechanism arranged to receive material delivered thereto from the interior of the retort, which discharge mechanism comprises worms or screwsand a mainframe within which the screws are located, which main frame is constructed so that material from the furnace is delivered to the screws, said main frame having at the other end. of thescrews a discharge box with a member providing an upwardly inclined surface arranged so that material forced against said surface by the screws will be caused to take an upward path, said discharge box being constructed so that a portion thereof provides a dam whereby a substantial head of material will be maintained at the discharge end of the screws and so that material in excess of the amount required to maintain the head will flow or pass over the top of the dam.

3. A discharge mechanism of the class described comprising cooperating screws, a main frame providing a down-take, a conduit or tube Within which the screws are located. and also a discharge box, rotary breaker members located within the downtake of the main frame and arranged to break up chunks of material passing downwardly toward the screws, and means for operating the rotary breaker members and the screws,.said discharge box being con-v structed so as to cause the material delivered by the screws to be forced upwardly and also having means providing a dam for maintaining a head ofmaterial' above and at the discharge end of the screws.

4. A discharge mechanism for the purpose described comprising a main frame having an in-takeopening, a tubular portion and a dischar e box, cooperating screws carframe and located within the igqo see tubular portion and constructed and arranged so that material fed through the intake opening to the screws is by the screws conveyed through said tubular portion and forced into and through the discharge box, said discharge box having sides extending above the top of the screws and thereby providing a dam for maintaining a head of material at the discharge end of the screws, and means whereby a water-jacket can be maintained on the exterior of that portion of the frame providing said tubular portion.

5. A discharge mechanism of the class described comprising a main frame with screw conveying means therein arranged to deliver the conveyed material to a discharge box, said discharge box having an upwardly sloping inner surface whereby material forced against it will be caused to take an upward path, said discharge box having end plates between which there are located sides or dam members arranged to maintain a head of material in the discharge box, said box also being encased and provided with an opening at the lower portion of the easing, the sides or dam members being ar ranged in spaced relationship with respect to the casing in such a manner that material flowing over the sides drops through the space between the side or dam members on the one hand and the casing on the other to the lower interior portion of the casing from which the material can be delivered.

6. A furnaceretort having a discharge mechanism which includes a hollow main frame, rotary breaker members having arms and located on the in-take portion of the frame, conveying means arranged for feeding and forcing the material through the frame which includes a discharge box at the discharge end of the frame, and means for operating the breaker members and said feeding and forcing means, said discharge box being constructed so as to receive the material and to cause the material to pass upwardly until a seal is formed by the mate rial in the discharge box, which seal is maintained by members providing a dam over which the material passes, said discharge box being constructed so that the dam is enclosed whereby the material passing over the dam will drop to the lower interior per tion of a casing with which the discharge box is provided.

7. A discharge mechanism having a con duit or tube, a discharge box and cooperating worms or screws arranged for feeding material through the conduit or tube and for forcing the material into the dis charge box, said discharge box having a removable end member that provides an upwardly sloping surface against which the material is forced, said discharge box having members that provide a dam whereby a seal of material may be maintained at the discharge end of the screws.

8. A discharge mechanism having a conduit or tube, a discharge box and cooperating worms or screws arranged for feeding material through the conduit or tube and for forcing the material int-o the discharge box, said discharge box having a removable end member providing an upwardly sloping surface against which the material is forced, and sides that provide a dam whereby a seal of material may be maintained at the discharge end of the screws, said removable end member being provided with bearings that support one end of the shaft of each of the screws.

9. A discharge mechanism of the class described having cooperating feeding screws and a main frame comprising an in-take portion, a portion providing a conduit or tube within which the screws are located, and a discharge box that receives material conveyed to it by the screws, the intake be ing provided with an opening normally closed by a door, through which opening access may be had to the interior of the feeding-in end of the main frame.

10. A discharge mechanism of the class described comprising a main frame that includes an in-take portion, a tubular portion and a discharge portion, a screw conveying means arranged so that a conveying screw is located within the tubular portion and extends from said in-take portion to said discharge portion, said discharge portion having a removable member that provides an upwardly sloping inner surface against which material is forced by the screw conveying means when functioning, said removable member also carrying a bearing for the shaft of the conveying screw.

11. A discharge mechanism of the class described comprising a main frame which includes an iii-take, a tubular portion and a discharge box, and screw conveying means arranged so that a conveying screw thereof is located within said tubular portion, the discharge parts having a removable memher that provides an upwardly sloping inner surface against which material is forced by the screw means when functioning to convey the material from the iii-take through the tubular portion into and through the discharge box and to force the material through the latter, said removable member being of such size and shape that when removed from place the screw-conveying means can be removed from the mechanism by endwise movement.

This specification signed the 14: day of September, A. D. 1920.

CHARLES HOWARD SMITH. 

